Discovery Channel, Underwater Archeology And Discovery, LTD. To Produce Exclusive Programs Exploring Historic Underwater Sites -- Partnership marks the start of new global television specials on underwater archeology -- Cannes, France -- Discovery Channel, Bethesday, MD., U.S., and Underwater Archelogy and Discovery, Ltd. (UAD), Liechtenstein, partner of Franck Goddio, the renowned French marine explorer, today announced an exclusive multi-year partnership to produce television specials that will document the search for and exploration of some of the world's most historic and magnificent underwater archelogical sites. The announcement was made today by Mike Quattrone, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Discovery Channel, U.S., Georg Rosenbauer, Member of the Foundation Council of the Hilti Foundation and Director of UAD; and Franck Goddio. The agreement brings together as partners two organizations with impeccable underwater track records in their respective areas of expertise. Discovery Channel last year produced the documentary that provided the definitive scientific answers to what caused the Titanic to sink in the icy waters of the North Atlantic in April 1912. Similarly, over the past fifteen years, Goddio has discovered some of the world's most notable underwater finds including the sunken Spanish Treasure galleon the San Diego. In 1996, Goodio discovered the city in which Cleopatra reigned, the lost City of Alexandria, Egypt. Over 2,000 years ago the royal city of Alecandria was hit by a series of earthquakes and tidal waves that plunged the royal city into the sea. The expeditions will be led by Goddio and will be carried out with the full permission of the national governments whose cultural heritages are involved. The first joint expedition will return to Egypt, in order to bring new knowledge to the public about parts of the sunken ancient city of Alexandria, beginning in early May. Additional sites for exploration, to be announced at a futre date, will involve historic seafaring trade routes, lost temples and sunken fleets. "We are delighted to team with Discovery Channel to bring the adventure, romance, history and science of these discoveries to television," said Goddio. "Discovery is unparalleled in its dedication to quality documentary programming and, as the largest producer of documentaries in the world, they are a perfect partner for us." Under the agreement, Discovery will hold the worldwide media, intellectual property, merchandising and licensing rights to the UAD excavations in which they participate. Discovery Channel Online (DCOL) will also provide live coverage from the site of the expeditions. Discovery and UAD will also work together to pursue additional corporate sponsorships to help fund the expeditions. "Franck Goddio's team and UAD have a reputation for working with world-class experts in underwater archeology, and their reverence for the historic significance of their discoveries convinced us that this was a perfect match for Discovery Channel," said Mike Quattrone. The first program produced under this agreement is tentatively schedualed to air on Discovery Channel, U.S. in early 1999 and will be co-produced by Discovery Channel and Cinenova Productions, Inc. Executive producer for Discovery Channel is Maurice Paleau and executive producer for Cinenova is Jane Armstrong. Discovery Channel is one of the United States' three largest cable televeision networks, serving 73.5 million households across the nation with the finest in informative entertainment. Discovery Networks, a division of Discovery Communications, Inc., Operates and manages Discovery Channel, TLC (The Learning Channel), Animal Planet, Travel Channel, Disovery Kids Channel, Discovery Science Channel, Discovery Home & Leisure Channel, Discovery Civilization Channel and has announced plans to launch Discovery Wings Channel and Discovery Health Channel. Underwater Archeology and Discovery, Ltd. (UAD) is a Liechtenstein Corporation which searches, finds, identifies and excavates historically valuable objects (shipwrecks, sunken buildings, etc.) which were lost underwater during the centuries. UAD has the objective to bring the knowledge of these objects to the general public through various media. To achieve these objectives, UAD cooperates with the Discovery Channel as its media partner, with the governments where the archeological sites are and a very limited number of coporate sponsors like the Hilti Foundation. Chairman of UAD is Michael Hilti (Chairman of the board of the world-wide operating Hilti Corporation and President of the Foundation Council of the Hilti Foundation). There has been a long-lasting relationship between Franck Goddio and Michael Hilti.